Poultry Notes

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 20 (Supplement)

Poultry Notes

FEEDING AND BREEDING CONSIDERATIONS.

In view of the present high cost of food and the low prices ruling for eggs many poultry-keepers are naturally looking for every means of economising in the food bill. Unfortunately, many are inclined to economise in the wrong manner by using cheap substitutes for recognised good foodstuffs, or in not giving their fowls sufficient iuodk while they are also apt to lend a willing car to the advice of neighbour* and others who have some new idea for feeding poultry. The most common fallacy in this direction is the foolish advice which is being so freely advocated that chickens cannot be successfully reared, and that adult stock cannot be main tained in a. sound healthy state and produce a paying egg-yield, nor have the power to ward off disease, unless certain srimuJants, tonics, chemicals, etc., are added to the ration provided. I am repeatedly being called upon, particularly by inexperienced poultry-keep crs. for advice as to the value of ont or other of these materials, but seldom are inquiries of this nature received from successful men in business. These men realise that if stock arc to bo maintained in a vigorous healthy condition (and they can be profitabn only if they are healthy) sound breed ing, feeding, and general good manage menl are the great underlying prin ciplcs on which to work. They realist that pampered stock can never give a good account of themselves, and that if a high proportion of weakly stock is being produced the methods <4 breeding, feeding, and general manage meat am not what they should be. Is view of the fact that stock could b< successfully reared and maintained in a hcalthv and high-producing condition many years ago without the aid ol chemicals, etc., there is no reason why this should not be the case to day, providing Common-sense methods of management are resorted to. It may be true that many strains of laying stock are manifesting sign? of deterioration in size of body anc 7 constitutional vigour, and that as a rc suit their progeny are difficult to rear while even many that are brought 1c maturity rarely develop into high ; profitable stock. The great underlying principle in breeding the modern layer is to see that no bird, whether male or female, i*« placed in the breeding-pen unless undoubted constitutional vigour is possessed. But this is not enough; th) progeny must be given every op port unity of securing a liberal supply of natural food and be reared undei natural conditions throughout th« growing stage. Next in importance ii the question of cleanliness. The houses must bo maintained in an absolutely sanitary condition, while the yards must tot be allowed to become stale and a breeding-ground for disease and parasitic life. A thoroughly clean run is just u« important as a thoroughly clean house. In fact, cleanliness is essential in everything connected with poultry.—F. C. Brown, Chief I’oultrj instructor, Wellington.